By: Jake Ferraro | Follow me on Twitter/X @18Jxxx18
The long wait for a new season is drawing near. Tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. ET at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island, the Providence Bruins will officially begin their 2026-27 American Hockey League regular season by hosting the Utica Comets. Starting the new season at home will bring excitement throughout the region as Providence looks to defend its Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy.
As a new season arrives, predictions about how a team will do range from good to bad. Providence made a lot of roster changes this offseason, but the team looked good by sweeping its two preseason games against the Springfield Thunderbirds last week. Now it’s time to set a realistic ceiling and floor for how the team will do this upcoming AHL season.
Realistic Ceiling: Third Place in Atlantic Division
With the Bridgeport Islanders relocating to Canada and being renamed the “Hamilton Hammers,” the Atlantic Division went from eight teams to seven teams. Five teams from the division will qualify for the 2027 Calder Cup Playoffs, instead of six teams when Bridgeport was in the division. A realistic ceiling for Providence for the regular season would be the division’s third seed.
The Atlantic Division is tough, as five of the seven teams in the current division made the playoffs. However, Providence had a huge roster haul this offseason, and finishing with the best record in the AHL for the second consecutive season seems low. One thing that could give Providence hope was how the preseason went. Providence swept the home-and-home series against Springfield and outscored them 8-4. Providence got solid play from its new players, as forward Robert Cronin scored in each game, and goaltenders Simon Zajicek and Jiri Patera each earned a win.
AHL teams can have a tougher offseason than National Hockey League teams, as prospects constantly come and go. It may be tough for Providence to have a better regular season than the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, Hershey Bears, and Charlotte Checkers. However, Providence should contend for the division’s third seed with Springfield and possibly the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Realistic Floor: Last Place in Atlantic Division
It’s time to be realistic about how Providence can finish last in the Atlantic Division. This offseason may have been too much for Providence to repeat as division leader, and it can lead to season struggles. One reason is coaching. Head coach Ryan Mougenel left this offseason, and Trent Whitfield was named the new head coach. Even though Whitfield served as an assistant coach for ten years in Providence, it takes time for new coaches to adapt. That is where concerns about Whitfield being a first-time head coach come into play for a struggling season.
Goaltending will be another concern. While Zajicek and Patera looked solid in preseason, losing Michael DiPietro will be hard shoes to fill. DiPietro is now up in the NHL as Jeremy Swayman’s backup in Beantown. DiPietro was named the AHL’s top goaltender for the past two seasons and the league’s MVP in 2026. Losing DiPietro’s 34 wins, 1.91 GAA, and .930 save percentage will be difficult to replace. Now, Zajicek and Patera face more pressure to make up for what DiPietro produced. Zajicek showed promise last season as DiPietro’s backup, winning 14 games and posting a 2.44 GAA and .915 save percentage in Providence, but he will be relied on more this season.
Depth up front is a bigger concern for Providence this season. This offseason, Providence lost forwards Georgii Merkulov, Riley Tufte, Patrick Brown, and Matej Blumel. All four were Providence’s top four leaders in goals and points last season, and losing Brown, who served as captain for the past two years, raises leadership concerns. Forward Fabian Lysell also departed this offseason, and he was fifth in goals and sixth in points for Providence last season. Providence also lost defensemen Michael Callahan and Christian Wolanin, which hurt on the back end.
This season has a lot of uncertainty for Providence, given how the offseason went and the new coach. However, Providence showed last season that anything is possible by winning the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the first time in 13 years. Providence will be eager to prove doubters wrong again and exceed expectations this season, starting tomorrow night.
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